Refrigerator and/or Freezer Unit

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit has a unit carcass with one inner wall behind which a cooling element of the refrigerator circuit is arranged for the refrigerating of the inner space as well as with a cover plate disposed as a screen in front of the inner wall of the unit carcass in the inner space of the unit carcass. The cover plate is held in the inner space by a releasable fastener and can be removed from the inner space so that the inner space can be used selectively with or without a cover plate.

The present invention relates to a refrigerator unit and/or a freezerunit having a unit carcass with one inner wall behind which a coolingelement of the refrigerator circuit is arranged for the refrigerating ofthe inner space as well as with a cover plate disposed as a screen infront of the inner wall of the unit carcass in the inner space of theunit carcass.

With refrigerator circuits, the problem of frost formation and theformation of condensate often occurs at the surface of the inner wallbehind which the evaporator of the refrigerator circuit is arranged,which is first visually unacceptable with high-quality units. Inaddition, a freezing of the goods to be refrigerated to the inner wallcan occur.

It has therefore already been proposed to dispose a separate cover plateas a screen in front of the inner rear wall of the unit carcass behindwhich the evaporator of the refrigerator circuit is arranged as a rulein the inner space of the refrigerator unit to eliminate the namedproblems. A gap remains between this cover plate disposed in front as ascreen and the actual inner carcass wall so that the condensateformation and frost formation can admittedly still occur on the actualinner wall surface, but does not move onto the cover plate. Theadvantages achieved by this solution are, however, acquired at the costof space loss since the cover plate disposed in front as a screenreduces the useful inner space volume, in particular since a gap has tobe provided between the cover plate and the inner carcass wall. This isadmittedly acceptable as a rule since the inner space is frequently notcompletely filled; however, it is annoying when the whole storage volumeis actually needed.

It is therefore the underlying object of the present invention toprovide an improved refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit of the namedkind which avoids disadvantages of the prior art and further develops itin an advantageous manner. The problem of frost formation and/orcondensate formation on the inner rear wall should in particular besolved, with the maximum storage volume of the unit nevertheless beingavailable when required.

This object is solved in accordance with the invention by a refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1. Preferredembodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

It is therefore proposed not to mount the cover plate fixedly in theinner space of the unit, but rather to provide a cover plate which canbe removed as required. In accordance with the invention, the coverplate is held in the inner space by releasable fastening means and canbe removed from the inner space so that the inner space is selectivelyusable with or without the cover plate. The unit is hereby given avariable inner space volume which can be enlarged as required by removalof the cover plate to provide the maximum possible storage space. Theproblem of the condensate formation and frost formation on the innercarcass wall can be eliminated, on the one hand, by this variable innerspace concept, and the maximum possible cubic capacity can neverthelessbe provided as required.

In a further development of the invention, the refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit has a control device which takes account of the technicalrefrigerating effects of the removal or insertion of the cover plate. Inaccordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the controldevice can change at least one operating parameter of at least one unitcomponent with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on whetherthe cover plate is inserted in the inner space or has been removed fromit. The control device adapts the operation of the necessary unitcomponents to the presence or absence of the cover plate.

In this respect, the adaptation of the operating mode can generally takeplace in different manners. The control device can preferably change atemperature switching value of the cooling unit when the cover plate isremoved from the inner space.

Alternatively or additionally, the control device can change theoperating mode of a fan which is provided in the inner space of theunit. Advantageously, such a fan is arranged such that an aircirculation takes place in the gap which is provided between the innerwall of the unit carcass and the cover plate disposed in front as ascreen. The fan can, for example, be arranged in the region of the upperend of the cover plate and/or below a top side of the inner space suchthat the air circulation effected by the fan sweeps past behind and/orin front of the cover plate.

The control device can in this respect change the operating mode of thefan differently depending on its built-in situation. If the fan isfixedly mounted in the inner space, the switching times or operatingintervals can be changed by the control device depending on whether thecover plate is inserted or has been removed.

Alternatively, the fan can also be mounted on the cover plate itself sothat it can be removed together with the cover plate. In this case, thecontrol device can simply deactivate the fan control routine when thecover plate has been removed.

The adaptation of the unit operation in dependence on whether the coverplate is inserted or has been remove advantageously takes placeautomatically. For this purpose, a detection device can be providedwhich detects whether the cover plate is inserted or has been removed.In this connection, the control device changes the named at least oneoperating parameter of at least one unit component with a technicalrefrigerating effect in dependence on a signal of the detection device.

The detection device can generally have different designs. In accordancewith an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the detection deviceworks in contact-free manner. A reed switch can in particular beprovided which detects the presence of the cover plate in the innerspace.

The releasable fastening means for the cover plate can generally havedifferent designs. To ensure a simple removal of the cover plate asrequired, the fastening means can advantageously be releasable or,conversely, closable or fastenable by hand in tool-free manner.

The fastening means can in particular hold the cover plate at thedesired position in front of the inner wall to be covered in the innerspace in a shape matched and/or force transmitting manner. A fasteningwhich is particularly simple to operate and is nevertheless stable isprovided by latch means by which the cover plate can be latched at thedesired position in the inner space.

The fastening means can generally be provided at different points inthis respect. They can in particular be provided at the unit carcassand/or at the cover plate itself. Alternatively or additionally,fastening means can also be provided on storage trays and/or can beprovided to cooperate therewith on the cover plate so that the coverplate can be fastened to storage trays or compartment bottoms which canbe inserted into the inner space of the unit carcass.

Alternatively or additionally to the previously named latch means,receiving recesses can be provided at the unit carcass into which thecover plate can be inserted. Alternatively or additionally, fasteningprojections, in particular fastening ribs, can also be provided at theunit carcass and the cover plate is held at them in a shape matchedmanner.

One side of the cover plate can advantageously be inserted into areceiving recess and the oppositely disposed side can be latched withlatch means provided there. Provision can be made in this respect toslide in the cover plate at the bottom and to latch it at the top or,alternatively, to slide it in at the top and to latch it at the bottom.Alternatively to this, the cover plate can also be slid in at the sideand latched at the side as well, but opposite thereto.

The cover plate itself can generally have different designs. It can bemade as a simple glass plate, plastic plate or metal plate, but also asa plate having at least one insulation layer made of polystyrene and/orPUR. If the dividing plate is made of glass, in addition to simpleglass, safety glass or mirror glass can also be used, whereby specialdesign effects are possible.

The cover plate can be made in different sizes in this respect. In afurther development of the invention, it is made at least so large thatit covers the region of the inner wall behind which the evaporator ofthe refrigerator circuit is disposed. In this connection, the coverplate can in particular be arranged aligned substantially vertically infront of the rear wall of the unit carcass. The cover plate does notnecessarily have to be planar in the sense of a mathematical plane inthis respect, but can rather also comprise elevated portions and/or havecurved portions.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the following withrespect to a preferred embodiment and to associated drawings. There areshown in the drawings:

FIG. 1 a schematic sectional representation of the unit carcass of arefrigerator unit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,with the cover plate being shown in the inserted state; and

FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of the unit carcass of FIG. 1, withthe cover plate being shown in a dismantled state while being removed.

The refrigerator unit 1 shown in the Figures has a substantially cubicunit carcass 2 whose housing is insulating in the usual manner. In thisrespect, an evaporator 4 of the refrigerator circuit is provided at therear 3 of the unit carcass 2 and can be foamed into the insulation ofthe unit carcass 2 so that it comes to lie behind the rear inner wall 5of the unit carcass 2.

A cover plate 6 is disposed as a screen in front of the named rear wall5 of the unit carcass 2 and is arranged standing upright in front of thenamed rear wall 5 in the inner space 7 of the unit carcass 2. In thisrespect, the cover plate 6 is arranged substantially parallel to therear wall 5, but spaced apart from it so that an air circulation passage8 is formed between the rear wall 5 and the cover plate 6. As FIG. 1shows, the cover plate 6 is arranged suspended, i.e. in the drawnembodiment its lower edge does not contact the base of the unit carcass2. The gap 10 remains between the base 9 of the unit carcass 2 and thecover plate 6, cf. FIG. 1.

In the drawn embodiment, a fan 12 is arranged at the top side 11 of theunit carcass 2 at the rear end of the inner space 7 and an aircirculation can be achieved around the cover plate 6 by means of saidfan, with the named air circulation passage 8 also being ventilatedbetween the cover plate 6 and the rear wall 5.

The cover plate 6 can be removed, as FIG. 2 illustrates. For thispurpose, fastening means 13 can be provided, preferably in the form ofshape matched latch means, which can engage at different points. Forexample, they can hold the cover plate 6 at the storage trays 14 whichcan be inserted into the inner space 7, cf. FIG. 1.

1. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having a unit carcass (2)with an inner wall (5) behind which a cooling element (4) of therefrigerator circuit is arranged for the cooling of the inner space, aswell as with a cover plate (6) disposed in front of the said inner wall(5) of the unit carcass (2) as a screen in the inner space (7) of theunit carcass (2), wherein the cover plate (6) is held in the inner space(7) by releasable fastening means (13) and can be removed from the innerspace (7) so that the inner space (7) can be used selectively with orwithout a cover plate (6).
 2. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit inaccordance with claim 1, wherein a control device is provided for thechanging of at least one operating parameter of at least one unitcomponent with a technical refrigerating effect in dependence on thepresence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space (7).
 3. Arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2,wherein a detection device, preferably a reed switch, is provided forthe detection of the presence of the cover plate (6) in the inner space(7) and the control device changes the at least one operating parameterin dependence on a signal of the detection device.
 4. A refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controldevice changes a temperature switch value of the cooling unit independence on the presence of the cover plate (6).
 5. A refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein a fan (12)is provided for the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unitcarcass (2).
 6. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordancewith claim 5, wherein a control device is provided for the changing ofat least one operating parameter of at least one unit component with atechnical refrigerating effect in dependence on the presence of thecover plate (6) in the inner space (7), and the control device changesthe operating mode of the fan (12) in dependence on the presence of thecover plate (6) in the inner space (7).
 7. A refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit in accordance with claim 5, wherein the fan (12) is mountedin the unit carcass (2) independently of the cover plate (6).
 8. Arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1,wherein the fan (12) is fastened to the cover plate (6) and can beremoved from the inner space (7) together with it.
 9. A refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefastening means (13) for the cover plate (6) can be actuated in atool-free manner.
 10. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13) have latchmeans for the latching of the cover plate (6).
 11. A refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fasteningmeans (13) are provided at the unit carcass (2) and/or at a storage tray(14) which can be inserted into the inner space (7).
 12. A refrigeratorunit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein thefastening means (13) have receiving recesses in the unit carcass (2)into which the cover plate can be inserted.
 13. A refrigerator unitand/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fasteningmeans (13) have holding projections, in particular holding ribs, atwhich the cover plate is held in a shape matched manner.
 14. Arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1,wherein the cover plate (6) covers at least the region of the inner wall(5) in which the cooling element (4) is seated behind the inner wall(5).
 15. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the cover plate (6) is arranged substantiallyvertically in front of the rear wall (5) of the unit carcass (2).
 16. Arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 1,wherein the cover plate (6) is spaced apart from the inner wall (5)and/or an air circulation passage (8) is formed between the inner wall(5) and the cover plate (6).
 17. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unitin accordance with claim 3, wherein the control device changes atemperature switch value of the cooling unit in dependence on thepresence of the cover plate (6).
 18. A refrigerator unit and/or freezerunit in accordance with claim 17, wherein a fan (12) is provided for theair circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).
 19. Arefrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 2,wherein a fan (12) is provided for the air circulation in the innerspace (7) of the unit carcass (2).
 20. A refrigerator unit and/orfreezer unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein a fan (12) is providedfor the air circulation in the inner space (7) of the unit carcass (2).